


Snapback

by napenthusiast



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bilingual Lance (Voltron), College, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Friends to Lovers, Lance (Voltron) is a Dork, M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 05:57:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16655506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/napenthusiast/pseuds/napenthusiast
Summary: Keith's life was eternally altered the moment the baby blue snapback clad frat boy sat next to him in chem class. But he didn't mind, if anything, he was glad.





	1. Chapter 1

Keith was sitting at his lab bench patiently waiting for his first chemistry class to begin. His college experience had started earlier that week, and it had gone fairly well. He met a fellow conspiracy theorist in his astronomy class, Pidge, and made quick friends with her. He also had seen his older brother Shiro walking around the quad with his boyfriend Adam and got to speak with them a few times in between studying at the library or walking to the gym. But to his utter contempt, he was currently in his chemistry classroom that looked like a evil scientists lab, with beakers overflowing with steam and a back wall filled with exotic animals that Keith had no idea how they related to chemistry in any way. It was then that the teacher walked in.

“Hello students!” the man said as he grabbed his lab coat that hung on a hook at the wall and placed his goggles on his face over his fiery red hair, “Welcome to your first class of introductory chemistry. My name is Professor Coran, and I will be here to join and help you with the adventure that you will be embarking on during this course.”

At that Keith rolled his eyes, he didn't particularly want to take chemistry, but he needed another science credit and advanced biology sounded even more hellish than being surrounded by toxic and flammable chemicals once a week. 

Before his thoughts could capture his mind completely, a loud noise outside the door brought Keith back to reality. Everyone in the room swiveled their heads and took their eyes off Coran to watch the classroom door fly open as a tall tan boy stepped into the room. The first thought Keith had was that he looked like a douche bag, showing up five minutes late to class, wearing light blue jeans that seemed to go on forever with his long legs, a t-shirt that had the NASA logo on it (he probably couldn't even name all the planets in order), and a light blue floral snapback that finished the look off perfectly. The second thought that Keith had was that the boy was hot, douche bag looking or not. He had bright blue eyes that Keith could see from his lab bench three rows back, and a slim body that looked lithe and fit. The third thought that went through Keith's mind was delayed as he was preoccupied with the first two, but it was, ‘oh shit he's walking towards me’. And unfortunately it only registered in his muggy brain by the time the boy was already pulling out the empty seat next to Keith. In the background Professor Coran resumed talking, but the blue eyed boy began to speak with him.

“The names Lance,” he said with his hand outstretched for Keith to shake, “I got so lost trying to find this room this morning, this place is an absolute maze to me.” He said with a guilty but also playful look in his eyes. 

Keith went to grasp the boys, Lances, hand and responded with, “Im Keith, and I get it, it took me ages to find the astronomy room and planetarium last Tuesday.” he let out a short laugh at his statement, remembering that he had to call Shiro on facetime so he could direct him towards the correct building. 

Lance smiled at that, showing off shiny white teeth and pointy canines.

\---

The fated meeting after Lance showed up to class late and plopped himself down next to Keith, along with the casual introductions that occured between them, led to an unlikely friendship between the two boys. 

Not that the two had anything against each other, but they both led particularly different lives. Lance being deeply involved in greek life and his undecided but leaning towards media studies major, and Keith going to poet club (cliche and he knows it) and studying the stars in the darkness of the planetarium on the daily. This being said, they did have a lot in common, their mutual love for crappy animal documentaries, rice cakes, and, oddly enough, The Blob. 

Many of their conversations went something attuned to the following. 

“Hey Keith.” 

“Animal Planet is showing Mermaids: The Body Found tonight.” Keith replied without so much as a hello, jumping directly into the important conversation that had to be brought up. 

“Keeeeithh,” Lance whined, “you know that one creeps the fuck out of me! The way the mermaids look is NOT what I thought mermaids would look like if I had came across one when I was a kid in Cuba.” 

“That's because those ‘pretty’ mermaids were propaganda made by sirens to attract gullible guys like you into their deadly grasps.” Keith deadpanned. 

Lance choked out a laugh and replied with, “Whoa calm down there edgelord.” before Coran began his lecture for the day and the two had to shut up so they could attempt to retain at least a portion of what he was teaching them. 

They ended up watching Animal Planet that night, throwing popcorn at each other when commercials came on, and Lance screaming every seven seconds because the mermaids, as Lance would say, 

“They are just so horrifically ugly, Keith look at them!”

“ I could just look at you instead.” he says without taking eyes of the riveting images of how the development of gills would occur on mermaids. 

“RUDE!” Lance guffawed, and then promptly flung a pillow onto Keith's face that landed with a satisfying thunk.

\---

They fell into a comfortable routine, after a few weeks. Lance introduced him to his best friend Hunk, a huge Samoan guy with an even bigger heart. And Keith forced Pidge out of her dorm room to meet up with Lance and Hunk at a coffee shop every once and awhile. 

The group quickly became somewhat inseparable, it was odd, considering they were all studying different things, and were all in quite different social circles. But they made it work, Keith had so much fun whenever the four of them were together, whether it was sitting in near silence at the library, 

-or howling from laughter in Lance and Hunks apartment over a stupid saying while playing Cards Against Humanity. 

“LANCE YOU CANT JUST GIVE ME THE HAKUNA MATATA MOTHERFUCKER CARD IN RESPONSE TO THE AIDS CRISIS!” Pidge screeched as the others cracked up over the sheer horridness that this game evoked. 

Lance gasped for air, tears of laughter sparkling in his eyes, “you gotta admit that was a good one, god bless the Disney expansion pack.” 

“Agreed,” Keith wheezed out, ribs hurting from laughing so much, “you have to give him that one.” 

Pidge just huffed, “you all are horrid, and I thought I was the dark minded one…” 

“Oh Pidgey! You're still our little gremlin that plans our demise through volcano sacrifice on the daily.” Lance said cheekily. 

“Don't give her any ideas Lance,” replied Hunk darkly, “she already has so many options floating around in that genius brain of hers. “

“Genius my ass, last night she called me because her Cup O’ Noodles were on fire in her microwave, and I swear I heard a fucking ‘Red Solo Cup’ club remix playing in the background, all the while she was wailing to me about how her noodles were foiled and she was going to die and just drink a Redbull instead.” Keith laughed out.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP KEITH I WAS TIRED OK!”

The group just collapsed into laughter again, cackling with their beloved Pidge about her unhealthy, yet sill genius, studying methods that were bound to get them all killed, if microwave food was involved again.


	2. Freefall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith realizes that something in his heart jumps a little when Lance is involved. Where could this lead him too?

They met each other outside of the library on a friday afternoon. They planned on maybe getting coffee and going into the building to study, but eventually they came to the (very responsible and not at all procrastination drivin) conclusion that studying could wait, and that they should just go out on the town for the night. Lance offered to drive and they hopped into his Jeep, that had its canvas top rolled down in order to enjoy the warm weather. Keith wasn't sure where Lance was taking them until he saw the exit sign that only had one name on it. 

“BOM. Really Lance?” 

“Yes Keith really, Burgers on Mars. It's a fantastic place to eat.” 

“It's the cheesiest place in the entire country. The entire building is tragically spaceship themed and i'm pretty sure the only song they play on the jukebox is Space Oddity.”

Lance smiled at that, “All the more reason to go!” 

\---

Once they arrived at the ‘world renown’, as Lance would call it, burger joint, the two boys slipped into a booth and took in their surroundings. The entire building was silver and black, with strips of LED purple lights lining the walls and ceiling. The waiters all wore a uniform of some sort of bodysuit that looked like it was vacuum sealed onto them, with glowing masks on their faces as if to complete the ‘everything in here is alien’ look. 

After Lance absorbed everything that was going on around him he turned and shot a toothy grin across the table, “Hmm guess it's not David Bowie's Space Oddity today, it’s Here Comes the Sun, Beatles, that's playing for us on this fine afternoon.” 

Keith just kicked him lightly under the table and picked up his menu to hide his smile, “What's good to eat here anyway?” he asked as he scanned over the food options, only to realize that they were all named after random celestial beings. Before he could even give Lance a dirty look the other boy opened his mouth.

“I dunno, but i've heard that the Martian Mushroom pasta is out of this world.” 

Lance gave him a smouldering look, as if he had just said the most sensual thing ever, instead of making a shitty space pun. Keith steeled himself and gave his companion a blank look, but then Lances facade broke and he fell into a fit of giggles.

“Ohmygod Keith that was a good one though!” he said between gasping for air and laughing at his own shit joke again, “It was perfect timing, delivery, everything!”

“Pidge would be proud.” Keith dimly responded, caught up by the way Lances eyes squeezed shut and the freckles that were dusted across his nose crinkled up when he laughed.

That night they ate fantastic UFO burgers and Keith sneakily (until he was caught and did it unabashedly) stole Lances fries off of his plate after he had finished his own. They split the bill and headed back to Lances car.

Once inside Keith spoke up, “Thanks for taking me there Lance, it was really good, even if the decor was atrocious and the waiters looked like their bodysuits would cut of circulation to their entire body.” 

“Mmm no problem, glad you liked the food. And I think you should apply to work there, so I can see you in one of those uniforms.” 

Keith just took in a sharp breath and didn't respond right away, waiting for Lance to take it back or make a joke out of it. He didn't though, he just left it there, sitting at the wheel of his jeep tawny brown hair flying wildly as the wind whipped around them due to lack of a roof and doors. 

Keith attempted to pull himself together before the silence went on for to long, “Lance...” he started, ”do you maybe want to go to the lake?”

At that Lance looked to Keith and his face went soft in the fading sunlight, “Yeah. Yeah Id like that Keith.” 

He took them down dusty roads and trails that were barely visible in the dusk that was fast approaching. The car radio blared Zeppelin as they made their way to a lake that the group had discovered earlier in the year to swim in one weekend. By the time they pulled up to the clear water Lance had turned his cars brights on and they cast a magical light onto the clearing that the water made. 

“Race ya to the water!” Lance said as he was already dashing out of the car (leaving the headlights and music on), flinging his pale pink shirt onto the hood of his car, and sliding off his belt and ripped up jeans to slam those on the car as well. Then he stood bare except for his blue boxers, arms akimbo, and looked at Keith who was still in the car.

“Whatcha waiting for Keithy? Like what you see?” with that he stepped back away from the car and walked toward the water. His hips deliberately swaying excessively if Keith had any say in it. That seemed to knock Keith out of his stupor and he swung his car door open as Van Halen's Runnin with the Devil began to play. He stripped down to his black boxer briefs, placed his black jeans and ratty tie dye shirt onto the car next to Lances clothes, and then turned towards Lance and the water. 

It was there, in the darkness of the lake, Jeep headlights casting a magical glow on everything, where the boys shared their first kiss, waist deep in cool water, hands running through hair and featherlight touches flying across backs and shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading chapter 2!   
> there will just be one more part about the boys relishing in their happy and shiny relationship.   
> what can i say im a sucker for tropes and classic happy endings.   
> byebye   
> napenthuhsiast


	3. Best Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith really loves being in love with Lance.

Driving down an endless empty country road in the middle of nowhere, Keith turned his head toward Lance. He was just sitting shotgun in Keith's truck, something that should not be even remotely sexy. Yet there Lance was, sitting there with his one of his long legs stretched out on the dash, the other foot plopped onto his seat, leg bending at the knee where one of his golden toned tan arms perched atop it. He was wearing cut off jean shorts that were fraying at the ends, revealing an endless expanse of his deliciously long legs, until the view was abruptly interrupted at his ankles with beat up light blue high top converse. His shirt was an old Joe Henry tee that was loose and faded, but Keith was still able to make out the Fuse album cover that decorated the front. When Keith's gaze traveled upwards he couldn't help but smile. Lance was facing the front window, but his eyes were closed and his head was tilted back ever so slightly as if to bask in the sunlight. On his head rested his baby blue snapback, today he wore it backwards, tufts of dark brown hair poking out from the front and sides, contrasting nicely with the cool tones of the hat.   
But there was one thing Keith couldn't see at the moment. 

“Take your shirt off.” Keith said as he reverted his eyes back to the road, watching the dust fly up around the car. 

“Excuse me?” Lance questioned as his eyes snapped open and his head turned towards a bemused Keith behind the wheel. 

“I said... Take. Your. Shirt. Off. Please, if that's the magic word you were looking for.”

“Why the fuck do you want me to take off my shirt here of all places? Your driving for heaven's sake! We can't even do anything!” Lance squawked indignantly. 

Keith couldn't help himself but choke out a laugh, “Get your mind out of the gutter Lance, we aren't going to do anything while driving out here. I just wanted to see your tattoo.” With that he sent a small smirk Lances way, “unless you're too chicken to take your shirt off on an abandoned road with just me here. No judgement.”

“Oh screw off, you've seen it a million times before, why do you even wanna look at it now?” Lance said, but while he was running his mouth his hands grasped at the bottom of his threadbare t-shirt and pulled it up over his head, skewing his hat and readjusting it, before throwing the fabric behind him into the little space between their seats and the truck bed. 

Keith gasped. He couldn't help it even though Lance was right, he had seen the tattoo plenty of times before. The golden tones of his thin but sturdy body interrupted at the left side of his chest, where the face of a magnificent lion was printed in blacks and greys on his skin, a blue rose spindly weaving its way up behind the animal to appear on the front of his shoulder. There was Lance McClain, sitting shirtless in the shotgun of Keith's red truck, sunlight filtering in from the sunroof revealing dust particles swirling around his body, a country song playing on the radio, and his skin absorbing sunlight, looking as if it was glowing. 

“Everything about you is beautiful.” Keith said without really registering that he was talking aloud, the thought had hit him fast and hard, so fast it almost scared him, so hard that he had to say it aloud so that Lance believed him. Lance needed to believe him.

Lance just gaped at him, his face turning the slightest bit red under his bronzy complexion. Keith locked eyes with him and tried to give him a soft look that showed he really, really meant it. Lance was beautiful, and Keith was in love with him. He did not say that last part aloud though. It was too daunting a task. Instead he just turned his head back towards the windshield and pressed his foot down on the gas, hard. After a few moments Keith heard Lance breath out a soft ‘thank you’ before they spoke no more, just country music playing quietly as they drove forward and watched the sunset. 

Keith awoke to small amounts of sunlight filtering into the room. As his eyes fluttered open he saw he was turned toward a blue wall ordained with pictures of sunsets and skies. He smiled to himself, Lances room. Keith took his time to become aware of his surroundings, a warm arm thrown over his hip, body tangled up with incredibly soft and long legs in the white sheets. 

He slowly turned himself over to face the tanned boy next to him, only to see bright blue eyes staring back at him with a soft expression. 

“G’morning,” Lance said quietly with a small smile, his eyes still glassed over with sleep. 

Keith's heart melted, who gave this boy the right to be so beautiful? He opened his mouth and responded, despite his internal argument with whatever unfair being created Lance, “Good morning, how long have you been up?” 

“Not long, it's only around nine.”

Keith hummed out a reply, “ Well if it's only nine, we have some time to kill…” he said before he leaned in and stole a kiss from Lances lips, slowly making his way down the gorgeous expanse of bronze neck and chest.

Lance gasped out, “Yeah, so… much, ah… time.” 

Keith glances up to see Lance's face, his pupils were blown wide, skin flushed, and lips slightly parted. Keith just smiled devilishly and leaned back down, “Let's see how much time we can waste pretty boy,” he said between kisses. 

~~~~~

Later that morning, Lance came out of the bathroom a little after Keith. His facial routine was very essential to his integrity, or something like that. 

Keith glanced up from his book he was reading on the bed, hair dampening the pillow, and lying in boxers and one of Lances old swim team t-shirts. Said boy opened the bathroom door, letting steam escape from behind him, wearing a loose pair of ripped up blue jeans that hung low on his hips without a belt, and… no shirt. 

Something about Lances tattoo got Keith every time. Obviously Lance's body was beautiful, his strong arms, sculpted chest, and firm stomach that gave way to thin hips, but the tattoo seemed to enhance him. Make Keith feel as if now that he has seen this piece of Lance, he will always understand him a little better than those who haven't. 

Keith began to sit up as Lance rummaged around for a shirt, “Hey, breakfast? I can make pancakes.” 

Lance, finally decided on a sleeveless tee, with practically no sides (a great decision, decided Keith, because he could always catch glimpses of his tattoo when Lance moved his arms around), “Yes, pancakes. Definitely pancakes. Ooo can we put chocolate chips in them?” he said as he slid on the shirt, displaying a star wars logo that was lightly faded. 

“What kind of person doesn't put chocolate chips in their pancakes?” Keith replied easily as he stood up and began to make his way toward the kitchen.

“An imbecile!” Lance cheered out as he followed Keith out of the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the end of a short love story i decided to write!   
> thanks for reading :) hope you enjoyed  
> byebye   
> napenthusiast

**Author's Note:**

> thank you thank you for reading!  
> if you have anything to say lmk in the comments :)  
> byebye  
> napenthusiast


End file.
